Four Egypt ministers quit Morsi cabinet: top official

Egyptian protesters walk past graffiti against Mohamed Morsi on the wall of the presidential palace in Cairo, on July 1, 2013. Egypt's ministers of tourism, environment, communication and legal affairs have tendered their resignations a day after massive protests against Morsi swept the country, a senior government official told AFP.
(AFP)

CAIRO (AFP) – Egypt's ministers of tourism, environment, communication and legal affairs tendered their resignations on Monday a day after massive protests against President Mohamed Morsi swept the country, a senior government official told AFP.

The four handed in their letters of resignation together to Prime Minister Hisham Qandil, the official said.

Tourism minister Hisham Zazou had already tried to resign last month after Morsi appointed Adel al-Khayat, a member of an Islamist party linked to a massacre of tourists in Luxor, as governor of the temple city.

The Islamist president on June 16 named Khayat along with 16 other new governors, including seven from his Muslim Brotherhood movement.

Khayat is a member of the political arm of ex-Islamic militant group Gamaa Islamiya, which claimed responsibility for the massacre of 58 tourists at Luxor in 1997.

But Zazou returned to work last week after Khayat quit.

Monday's resignations come amid a campaign of civil disobedience and a day after massive nationwide protests against Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood.